1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring industrial plant activity and to a system and method for using the monitoring data to stabilize plant and industrial productivity, to maximize plant and overall industrial productivity, to track and evaluate plant and industrial productivity, and/or to develop global data dissemination methodologies and/or to develop global industrial responses to natural or man-made industry disruptions.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring industrial plant activity, where the method includes imaging plant stacks and/or effluent plumes and relating data derived from the images to an index of plant activity. This invention also relates to a system and method for using the monitoring data to stabilize plant and industrial productivity, to maximize plant and overall industrial productivity, to track and evaluate plant and industrial productivity, and/or to develop global data dissemination methodologies and/or to develop global industrial responses to natural or man-made industry disruptions, where the method includes packaging the plant activity data so that industrial participants and governmental regulatory agencies can change plant and/or industrial output and productivity to adjust, stabilize and/or maximize output of desired industries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Camera and other detection system designed to image plant effluents and thermal emissions have been used for many years to analyze thermal output and effluent compositions for environmental, operational and emission control. Many of these systems are designed to determine effluent plume composition and effluent plume disbursement. However, such systems have not been used to monitor plant output, down time, cycle time, disruptions, etc. in a real time or near real time so that industry and government can better manage overall output and maintain adequate levels of goods and services and so governments, brokers and analysts can be forecast demand and supply economics.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a system and method for monitoring stack and/or effluent plumes and relating data derived therefrom to a measure of plant productivity and industry productivity and packaging the plant and industry productivity data into a format for instantaneous, periodic or intermittent distribution to broker, analyst, industrial and governmental organizations.